Mason



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CAR 'GOUIPLINGl No.487,536. Patented Dec. 6, 1892.

NITnD STATES PATENT Friet;

GEORGE WASHINGTON MASON, OF EAU CLAIRE, IVISCONSIN.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,536, dated December 6, 1892.

Application filed March l2, 1892. Serial No. 424,687. (No model.)

To ali whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE WASHINGTON MASON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eau Olaire,in the county of Eau Claire and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar- Oouplers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to :make and use the same.

My invention relates to automatic couplers for railroad-cars and other purposes, and its object is to improve such couplers; and it consists in providing on each car a novel drawbar having an upwardly-extended horn and link-bearing, an oscillating draw-plate, a removable pin for confining the draw-plate, a spring-acted bail-link, a ratchet, pawl, chains, shaft, and hand-wheel.

It also consists in certain other novel constructions, combinations,and arrangements of parts,as will be hereinafter described an specifically claimed.

By my invention the cars can be automatically coupled from either their tops or sides in a very speedy and effective manner, and can also be very readily uncoupled from similar positions, and the coupling-links are allowed freedom to oscillate.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a side elevation and partial section of the draw-head and my impro ved coupling means, the coupling-link being ont of connection with the fellow coupling means of the other draw-head. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front view of the same. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing one of the cap-plates or housings for the springs which throw down the links, and Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of said springs. Figs. 6, '7,and 8 are illustrations of modes of applying the means for operating the coupling to cars, whereby the cars may be coupled and uncoupled at either side near the platforms or from the top of the cars.

A in the drawings is a stationary portion or draw-beam bar of a car provided with bumperspring K. This portion A may be bored with a round socket or it may be made of side flat pieces and a stout end cross-beam and bottom guiding-pieces. To this portion A the reduced tongue portion of the movable part A of the draw-bar is fitted to slide and bump against the spring K, being held in place by bolt 7c, passed through a slot l. The spring K is spiral and is fitted into a cylindrical socket in the portion A and upon a short pin Z on the end beam of the portion A. Forward of the portion A the movable part A is formed with a head of equal or greater width than the stationary portion,and the rear end of this widened portion may be curved at Z2 t0 correspond to a similarly-curved end of the stationary portion A. It is not material to have the two portions as wide as each other so long as a proper abutting shoulder between them is formed. The two portions in their normal relation are kept separated by the bumper-spring, as shown. Thus formed the extent of movement between these parts that is required under a bumping action is permitted, and at the same time this movement is limited.

On a strong draw-plate G a pivoted strong link D is provided, the same being confined on each side of said plate by a horizontal pivot-pin d. This plate O is fitted by means 0f an overlapping'iiange O of the portionvA, so as not to spring up at its rear end and yet be free to oscillate on said part A. Centrally of and at the front of the portion A an upwardly extended and backwardlybeveled draft-horn a is provided, the same being a solid project-ion from the said portion A. On the rear side of this horn a slightly-rounded strong link-bearing B is provided, the same rising from a shouldered base of the horn and terminating in a horizontal shoulder. Rearwardly of this bearing B a vertical hole for the reception of a strong pin B2 is provided in the portion A', and in this hole the said pin is inserted for the purpose of confining the oscillating plate under the ange C', as will be presently described. The head of this pin is dat on its front face, rounded on its back, and inclined on its top, so as to form a snuglitting surface for the oscillating plate and a riding base for the coupling-link D, as will also be hereinafter described.

The draw-plate C is made of segmental form at its rear end, and at its front end, centrally IOO of its width, it is cut away on a small circle, as at C2, so as to lit snugly the rounded back portion, as well as the sides, of the headof the pin and be able to swing around on said head as it performs its oscillations. Vith this construction the draw-plate can when the pin is withdrawn have its rear curved end passed under the flange C' of the portion A', and then by the reinsertion 0f the pin it will be conned against the upward movement and prevented from disconnecting from the portion A', and while this is so be able to swing around said head, and thus a swaying drawplate is provided which will allow the cars and their coupling-links to swing from side to side without undue strain or friction. rIhis construction also admits of the draw-bars being fitted close and snug between the side beams, and by the provision of this swaying drawplate much of the damage from the cross-pull and friction ou trucks and Irails in making short curves is overcome. The drawbars as herein constructed dispense with the dead beams at the end of the cars, it only being necessary to place one at the back end of the bar and one on each side. On each side of the draw-plate a receptacle C2 is provided, each receptacle having a movable side closing drop-plate C3, by opening which access can be had to the interior of the said receptacles. At the bottom of each receptacle a powerful fiat spring c is applied.

The coupling-link D is bail-shaped, having its ends in rear of its fulcra turned upward on curved cam-lines. This link is applied to the draw-plate of the draw-head so as to-swing up and down, and in swinging down to catch behind the horn upon the rounded bearing B of a corresponding coupling means on another draw-bar. Each end of the bail-link is fitted in a receptacle C', and when pivoted in position its cam ends bear against the springs c, andin order to develop and utilize the force of the springs c for automatically lowering the bail-link, the ends of the link are pressed down forcibly upon the springs, so as to bring their pivoting-holes in coincidence with pivoting-holes of the walls of the receptacle C', and while in this condition the bail is secured by means of the pivots d, passed through the side walls of the receptacles, and thisaccomplished the normal position of the link is that of having its bowed forward end pressed downward, and when in use over the coupling-horn against the bearing B of an annexed car. The drop-plates C3 when replaced or moved to their normal positions willcover and protect the springs and pins of the baillinks from the weather.

The construction of the parts and arrangement of the bail-link, as described, insure an instantaneous automatic couplingof the cars when the link is relieved from the restraining means by which the uncoupling is effected and by which it is held out of action.

To effect the uncoupling of the cars and holding the coupling-links out of action, a

shaft F is extended across the car above the draw-plate and secured in bracket-bearings, as n, and on this shaft pulleys or drums for chains to wind upon are provided. To the pulleys chains E are attached and therefrom carried and fastened to the arms of the baillinks. On each end of this shaft a handwheel H and ratchet-wheel f, having hand- `actuated pawl-lever g', are applied. By this `mechanism the chains E can be wound upon the pulleys and the coupling-link raised up out of its coupled relation to the couplinghorn and bearing of an annexedcar, and when thus raised itcan be retained by allowing the pawl-lever to be pressed by the hand into a tooth of the ratchet-wheel. in order to work the coupling from the tops of cars, bevel` wheels, as m', are applied on the shaft F, and vertical shafts M, having hand-wheels H, ratchet-Wheelsf, and spring-acted pawl-levers G', are provided, and on these vertical shafts bevel-wlieelsm, gearing with the bevel-wheels m', are provided. By this compound gearing the couplings can be operated from either the sides or tops of cars.

The spring g' is used only on top of car to throw the pawl out of the ratchet. In coupling from either top or side of car the'pawls are all putin place on the ratchet by hand, and to detach or unhook them the hand-Wheelis turned back suciently to free the frontv end of the pawl-lever from the ratchet, and said lever as applied on the side of the car, being heaviest at its rear end, drops down. ln operating from top of car the spring g' throws the pawl-lever out of position as soon as it is set free from the ratchet-wheels.

If desired, the respective bail-links of the cars can both be used together; but the use of one link at a time will be sufficient.

The links in my coupling'are handled, raised, lowered, and controlled by means of the combined agency of the hand-wheel, the springs, and the ratchet-wheel and pawl, and the combination is such that the greatest convenience for easily and instantaneously coupling and uncoupling cars is aiforded. A'

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a coupler, the combination, with the stationary part A of the draw-head, of the sliding part A', having upwardly-projecting and link-retaining horn and bearing B, oscillating draw-plate C, the bail-like link D, pivoted to the draw-plate and formed with cam-lever ends, and springs c. for the lever ends of the link to bear upon, substantially as described. y

2. The combination of the draw-plate C, having flange C' and cut away on a circle at C2, the sliding flanged part A', having drafthorn with rounded bearing B, confining-pin rounded at its back, spring-acted bail-like link D, pivoted to draft-plate C, andpart A of the draw-bar, substantially as described.

3. The part A', provided on its front end with the draw-plate C, carrying the bail-like link D and having a draft-horn with rounded IOO bearing and at its rear endasocketcd tongueand spiral bumper-spring, in combination with the stationary part A of the draw-bar, substantially as described.

4. The part A', provided on its front end with the draw-plate carrying the bail-like link and having a draft-horn With rounded bearing and at the rear end provid ed With the socketed tongue, aspiral bumper-spring, and a slot Z, in combination with the stationary part A of the draw-bar and with the bolt K substantially as described.

5. The combination of the stationary part A, sliding part A', having upwardly-projcct ing link-retaining draft-horn with rounded bearing, the draw-plate having a bail-like link formed with cam-lever ends pivoted to it, springs bearing forcibly against the said lever ends ofthe links, the operating-shaft provided with pulleys, connecting -chains, ratchet and hand Wheels, and spring-acted or gravitating lever-pawl, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the stationary part A, Sliding part A', the draw plate having upwardly-projecting link-retaining draft-horn with rounded bearing, the bail-link pivoted to the draw-plate and formed with cam-lever ends, springs bearing forcibly against the said lever ends of the link, operating-shaft provided with pulleys, operatingchains, ratchet and bevel Wheels, pawls, connectingchains, a vertical shaft provided With bevel and ratchet Wheels, and a spring-acted leverpawl, substantially as described.

7. The oscillating draw-plate C, provided with receptacles for the springs c and the cam-lever ends of the link and the pivots of the levers, said receptacles having drop-cover plates, substantially as described.

8. A pair of draw-bars, each provided 'with similar couplingand uncoupling means, either or both of Which means can be brought into and kept out of action at will, as circumstances require, the said means comprising the stationary parts A of the draw-heads, the sliding parts A', having upwardly-projecting and link-retaining draft-horns With bearings, the draw-plates, the bail-links pivoted to the plates and formed with cam lever ends, springs for the lever ends of the links to bear upon, shaft, connecting-chains, ratchets, and pawls, substantially as described.

9. The oscillating draw-plate having coupling-link attached to it applied on the partA of the draw-bar, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two Witnesses in the matter of my improved car-coupling.

GEORGE WASHINGTON MASON.

Witnesses:

EMMA G. MASON, S. ELLA SPAFFORD. 

